The food ‘island’ within Baringo County’s arid area

July 14, 2017 11:53 am

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By JOSEPH MURAYA, Kamoskoi Irrigation Project was started in 1930 and was later incorporated into the National Irrigation Board in 1966/MOSES MUOKINAIROBI, Kenya, Jul 14 – Once a vast dry land, it is now green with a variety of food products.

The place sits in the middle of a valley and from a distance, one can see what seems to be like a green stadium.

It is from these lands that Marigat area of Baringo County and surrounding places are fed from.

– Kamoskoi Irrigation Project –

The project is located within Emkwen village of Liboi location.

Kamoskoi Irrigation Project was started in 1930 and was later incorporated into the National Irrigation Board in 1966.

But it wasn’t effective for decades according to locals until the National Government rehabilitated a 9.1km pipeline which is installed from the River Liboi to the farms that fall under Kamoskoi Irrigation Project.

For an irrigation project that initially began by planting seed maize crop of the DH02 variety under a growing agreement with the Kenya Seed Company, increased funds have become a turning point for crop production to include watermelons, pawpaw, capsicum and bananas.

One of the farmers, Christopher Kimugon says the pipeline has reduced the cost of farming since before they were using a generator to pump water to their respective farms.

“We could only afford to farm not more than an acre but for now we can do up to four,” he said during an interview with Capital FM News.

The multi-million shilling project has also led to increased farm produce, as established during the tour of the scheme.

“We now have enough water to do our farming. Our standard of living has improved as a result of the project,” he said.

It is a 600-acre project with the potential to be expanded up to 2,000 acres according to Sammy Boit, the Perkerra Irrigation Scheme Manager.

Boit says the government has also improved the road network in the area in a bid to ensure farm produce reach the market on time.

“Locals are now economically empowered with the number of households benefiting from this increased from 100 to more than 400. Two primary schools have also been built within; before pupils used to walk for more than 20 kilometres but they do have their own institutions now,” Boit said.

Vincent Sibilo, a farmer within the scheme, says the productivity can, however, be increased even more if farmers are trained on the modern ways of farming.

Sibilo also wants the government to issue title deeds to all farmers within the Kamoskoi Irrigation Project.

“It is only one block of the farm that the owners have been issued with title deeds,” the 35 years old farmer said.

They also want the government to construct silos where they can store their farm produce, which has significantly increased.